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Drought continues to hammer the Southwest, particularly the Colorado River, which some 40 million Americans rely on for water. Now, farmers in Arizona are set to feel the sting of steep water supply cuts. On Monday, the Bureau of Reclamation is expected to issue the official projection of water deliveries in 2022, with Arizona expected to lose roughly one-fifth of its Colorado River supply.
The sweeping cuts come as federal water managers enforce the Colorado River Compact, a multi-state agreement that includes automatic reductions when water levels reach critically low levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the two largest reservoirs on the river. “It’s such a significant river,” said Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University. “It used to be called the Nile of the West, which is almost impossible to believe these days.”
Many farmers have drastically altered their operations, leaving land unplanted, installing more efficient drip irrigation, and planting more drought-resistant crops. While these changes will help address some of the shortage, more farmers in Arizona will be forced to rely on groundwater, which is already overpumped. Decisionmakers in the state are seeking to diversify their water supply going forward, storing water underground, leasing water from Native American tribes, increasing recycling, and desalinating water from Mexico's Sea of Cortez.
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Nevadans love their public lands. We view our lands as our natural heritage. We are home to some of the most visually stunning, biologically diverse and frankly culturally significant landscapes. We are super thrilled that this may become one of the new national monuments in our state.”
